Chapter 7: Who Am I/Come To Me
Crowhaze paced where the tree had fallen.
"They think that cat is me! He knew him at a glance!" The black tom moved his paws.
"That stranger he has found.. This cat could be my chance!" Crowhaze's aqua gaze pondered.
"Why should I save his fur? Why should I right this wrong? When I have come so far and struggled for so long?" His black tail thrashed violently.
"If I speak, I am condemned... If I stay silent, I am ashamed!" Crowhaze laid out the options.
"I am a clanmate of lots of warriors, they all look to me! Can I abandon them, will- can they be strong if I am not free? If I speak, they are condemned... If I stay silent, I am ashamed!" The black tom meowed.
On one white paw of his, he could say who is, and be a slave, doing the dirty work. Or he could be silent and live a life in shame.
If he did the second one, he would break the vow, the promise he gave to the medicine loner.
He promised the cat he would become honest! He cannot break it now.
"Who am I?" He asked, to no one.
"Can I condemn this cat to slavery? Pretend I do not feel his agony? This innocent who wears my face, who goes to judgement in my place!" He uttered.
"Who am I? Can I conceal myself for evermore? Pretend I'm not the cat I was before? And must my name until I die! Be no more than an alibi?" Crowhaze questioned himself.
"Must I lie? How can I ever face my fellow warriors? How can I ever face myself again?" He asked himself, again.
"My soul belongs to Starclan, I know! I made that bargain long ago! He gave me hope when hope was gone! He gave me strength to journey on!" He meowed.
"Who am I? Who am I? I'm Clawfall!" He dashed to the leader's den, where Echostar, Eaglestrike, and a fearful dark tom were.
"And so Eaglestrike, you see it's true! This cat bears no more guilt than you!" He showed them the scar every prisoner gets: One on their paw.
"Who am I? 24601!" He yowled.
"Are you okay? you should see Mistyleaf." Eaglestrike spoke.
"You'll find me there!" He snapped, before bolting off to see how Dawnpride was feeling.
With Dawnpride, she was laying in the medicine cat's den.
"Larkkit, it's turned so cold!" She mewed, imagining her kit beside her.
"Larkkit, the daylight has passed! You've played the day away! And soon it will be night." She temporarily warned.
"Come to me, Larkkit, the light is fading! Don't you see the evening star appearing?" Deliriously, she asked Larkkit to come to her.
"Come to me, and rest against my shoulder! How fast the minutes fly away and every minute colder.." She murmured, curling her tail to the imaginary kit.
"Hurry near, another day is dying! Don't you hear, the winter wind is crying? There's a darkness which comes without a warning! But I will sing you lullabies and wake you in the morning." She assured.
Crowhaze came in and asked how she was and the blue-gray medicine she-cat only repiled, "Greencough."
He had sadness in his eyes.
"Oh Dawnpride, our time is running out! But Dawnpride, I swear this on my life!" He started to say.
"Look Crowhaze, where all the kits play!" She tried to stand up.
"Be at peace, peace evermore!" He soothed the she-cat.
Dawnpride's tail suddenly went up. "My Larkkit!"
"Shall live in my protection.." He vowed, for the second time in his life.
"Take her now!" She told her. "Your kit will want for nothing.." He told her.
"Good cat, you come from Starclan above!" Dawnpride exclaimed.
"And none will ever harm Larkkit as long as I am living." He promised.
"Take my paw, the night grows ever colder!" She whispered.
"Then I will keep you warm." He nodded.
"Take my child, I give her to your keeping." She uttered.
"Take shelter from the storm!" He meowed.
"For Starclan's sake, please stay till I am sleeping! And tell Larkkit I love her, and I'll see her when I wake..." Dawnpride lowered her head to her paws.
Crowhaze sighed, then licked her forehead. He padded out of the den, and sat down.
"I will find your beloved kit." Crowhaze looked upon Silverpelt. Then suddenly, he felt a presence. He whisked around and saw a gray tom with deep blue eyes.